The future of higher education

Abstract

Malta is passing through what one might describe as a crucial transitional period. This is the period between colonialism, which by its very nature stunts the sense of national identity, and the present period of independence when so many of us are experiencing both the hazards and the responsibilities of making decisions of a far reaching nature. Uncoordinated decisions, those made on the spur of the moment or for a momentary purpose, can be compared to the loose links of a broken chain. A broken chain is quite useless. You either mend it or throw it away. Similarly, unconnected decisions can only be useful when they cease to be unconnected and are instead inserted into a long-term planning policy like so many links of a long chain. We have in mind at the moment one particular link in the chain of national planning. This is education in particular.